Doorknob construction



July 17, 1934. LYQNS 1,967,152

DOORKNOB CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 23, 1932 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR.

v Ar-Thur E.I nns g w WW 7 v ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 17, 1934 DOORKNOB CONSTRUCTION Arthur G. Lyons, Pennsidc, Pa., assignor to. Reading Hardware Corporation, Reading, Pa,

a corporation Application February 23, 1932, Serial No. 594,716

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in door knob constructions. V 3

The primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved door knobconstruc tion having improved means to1 secrete and fin- Li li SIP ish ofi the knob neck between the knob body and normal escutcheon plate.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved door knob construction embodying a ferrule construction on the knob neck between the knob body and normal escutcheon plate which isof such. construction and nature as to effectively finish off the appearance of the door knob assemblage.

A further object of this invention is the provision of av door knob construction including means to positively hold a ferrule upon the neck of the door knob construction against any longitudinal movement off the neck, and at the same time permit its rotation to align the usual openings in the ferrule and neck for adjustment of the spindle clamping screw.

It is a considerable problem to builders that mechanics in assembling door knob constructions -Wi11 very often leaveoff the ferrule which finishes :off the neck between the knob body and escutcheon plate. Thisresults because the ferrule is usually shipped to the builder loosely upon the knob .neck, from which it can readily slip and become lost. It is an important object of this invention to rotatably mount the ferrule upon the neck'in an eiiicient and economical manner so that the ferrule cannot with ease be slipped oif the neck, yet may be freely'rotated.

Qther objects and advantages of this inven neck of a door knob, a ferrule for disposal upon the neck, and an expansible spring or ring which is used to positively hold the ferrule upon the neck of the door knob construction against 1ongitudinal movement thereon.

Figure 3 is a view of the parts shown in Figure 2, showing the position of parts immediately prior to final assemblage of the ferrule upon the neck of the door knob construction.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

l t Figure 5 is an end view of the ferrule, showing I the flaring entrance mouththereof which will permit ready entrance and compression of the Spl r n Figure 6 is a modified form of invention in which the ferrule is not permanently locked upon the neck against longitudinal displacement therefrom, but which is positively held by expansible friction means upon the door knob neck. In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration are shown preferred and modified forms of the invention, the letter A may generally designate a door knob construction which is intended to actuate a spindle B'for operating the latch or bolt mechanism C of a closure D.

The door knob construction A preferably comprises the handle or knob body 10 to which is rigidly attached a neck 11, either an integral or otherwise fixed part thereof. This neck 11, in the ase era-n ordinary door kno is pr vi e wi a longitudinal passageway therethrough, which may be polygonal in cross section, or screw threaded, as shown for the passageway 12 in the neck 11. In this passageway 12 a portion of the spindle 'B is received, preferably by threading therein. .The spindle B may be polygonal in cross section so as. to rotate with the door knob, for the purpose of actuating the latch or bolt 0, in a well known manner. For the purpose of attaching the knob neck 11 in a definite position upon the spindle B, to prevent longitudinal movement therebetween, the neck 11 is ordinarily provided with a radial screw threaded passageway 14, adapted to receive a set screw 15, by means of which the neckis clamped upon the spindle B, as

shown in figure 1. This set screw 15 is of course adjusted to be entirely received within the passageway 14, without radial projection from the uter perinheralsurface of the neck 11.

In lieu of the above described construction, the door knob body may be a handle body of any shape and the neck thereof may be attached to any member which is intended in turn to actuate a latch or bolt.

An escutcheon plate is detachably secured at 26 upon the closure D, surrounding the location from whence the spindle B projects. This escutcheon plate may be provided with an annular extension 27, adapted to receive the outermost end of the neck portion 11 in a snug but rotatable fitting relation therein.

An improved ferrule or sleeve 30 is rotatably mounted upon the neck 11 between the outermost edge of the extension portion 2'? of the eseutcheon plate 25, and the juncture of the neck with the knob or handle body 10. This ferrule or sleeve 30 is provided with a radial opening 31 therein of a size which will expose the screw threaded opening 14-. and the set screw 15 received therein, so that the set screw 15 may be slipped through the opening 31 for the purpose of removal, placement,

or adjustment, in a manner which is well known;

In order to obviate an open joint between the end of the ferrule 30 and the knob body 10, the latter at its juncture with the neck 11 is provided with an annular groove 33, preferably by an annular extension 34 on the knob body at this location, into which the end marginal portion of the ferrule 30 snugly fits, to obviate any simulation of a broken joint.

In order to prevent loss of the ferrule during shipping, and to prevent its longitudinal movement along the shank or neck 11 after its position has once been defined thereon, and thus preventing any open joint between the facing edge of the escutcheon plate and ferrule, means is provided to positively hold the said ferrule on the neck against longitudinal movement therealong, either in a permanently assembled relation of the ferrule upon the neck, or through an assemblage which binds these parts together through yieldable friction. Any expedient which is used to eifect this result should take into consideration that the ferrule should be freely rotatable upon the neck.

My preferred method of rotatably mounting the ferrule on the neck 11 so as to prevent its longitudinal movement therealong is to provide complementary annular grooves or recesses 37 and 38 in the outer peripheral surface of the neck 11 and inner peripheral surface of the ferrule 30 respectively, which are contiguous when the ferrule is properly assembled upon the sleeve 11 to define an annular passageway receiving therein an expansible and resilient split ring or spring 40. This split ring or spring 40 may be circular in cross section, or of any other section desired. It is snapped into position in the annular groove 37 uponthe neck 11, and in this position it is to be noted that it projects beyond the outer periphery of the neck 11, although it is possible to compress the spring 40 so as to lie entirely within the groove 37. The inherent resiliency of the split ring resists such efforts. The ferrule or sleeve 30 is tapered at 45, from the free end edge thereof to the'annular groove 38, presenting a flaring'mouth into which the split ring 40 is received when pushing the ferrule into place, as shown in Figure 3. This flaring, entrance permits of a ready assemblage of the ferrule upon the neck 11 and the compression of the split ring 4.0 into the groove 37 until the groove 38 is disposed opposite the groove 37, and at which time the split ring 40 expands into the groove 38. It

now lies in projecting relation in both the grooves 3'7 and 38, and the ferrule 30 is permanently looked upon the neck 11 against longitudinal movement therefrom, although it may be freely rotated thereon to align the passageways 14 and. 31.

In lieu of grooving the ferrule 30 at 38 to receive the split ring 40, a special ferrule 30 such as shown in Figure 6 of the drawing, may be provided, which may have a flaring entrance mouth, but which is not internally grooved, so that the split ring 40 is under compression for frictionally holding the ferrule 30 against longitudinal movement of]? the neck 11. Considerable force exerted upon the sleeve 30 will enable it to be longitudinally detached from the neck 11.

Other means for holding the ferrule on the neck of the door knob construction against longitudinal movement therefrom, yet permitting rotary movement thereon, may be provided, and I do not desire to limit my invention to the precise instrumentalities shown. Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the forms of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a door handle construction the combination of a handle body having a neck portion rigidly attached thereto, a bolt actuating member, a screw threaded the neck for connecting said member to the neck so that said member will be actuated upon turning of the handle, a ferrule ro- I tatably carried by said neck and normally preventing unthreading of said'screw, and expansible moans entirely secreted between the ends of the neck ferrule to hold said ferrule on the neck against longitudinal movement thereon and expansible radially against the ferrule to normally retard its rotation upon the neck.

2. In a door handle construction the combination of a handle body having a neck portion rigidly attached thereto, a bolt actuating spindle, a spindle securing element transversely movable in the neck for keying said handle body to the spindle, a ferrule rotatably mounted upon said neck for complete rotation having an opening therein which may be aligned with said spindle securing element to remove the same and which may be placed out of alignment by rotation of the ferrule to hold the spindle securing element in spindle keying position, and an expansible substantially ring-shaped spring socketed between said neck and ferrule normally expansible against the inner periphery of the ferrule to retard too free rotation of the ferrule, the latter being rotatable under manual effort notwithstanding the retarding influence of said spring, said spring holding said ferrule on the neck of said handle body against longitudinal movement therealong.

ARTHUR G. LYONS. 

